This week's guest on the WONDER podcast is Rebecca Burd. Rebecca and her husband, Dan, are producers of Speak Life End Bullying The Musical. They are also the directors of Speak Life Performing Arts Company. In 2000, deeply impacted by a story of bullying, they began writing a script that would eventually lead to the creation of a nation wide stage show and now a film. (Rebecca is also one of the authors contributing to The Musical Imprint book project, so there’s so much to talk about.) Her heart for the work and the youth involved is something that inspires and encourages so many! 

This week's guest on the WONDER podcast is Amanda Haidet, a licensed clinical social worker based in New Jersey. She opened A Brighter Tomorrow Wellness Center in 2019. Its focus is on customer service, client support, and providing a relaxing and aesthetically appealing environment. Amanda and her team hope people feel like a part of their family from the time they arrive until the completion of their treatment. Amanda is incredibly passionate about her work, but also the people around her. Can't wait for you all to get to know her more. 

This week's guest is another Instagram connection. One of Rachel Limerick's Instagram posts popped up on the Be The Change Youth Initiative (BTCYI) feed a month or so ago. She was selling her pottery as a fundraiser to give back to the Chattanooga community. Sydney immediately reached out because it is the purest example of what BTCYI is all about…. using your gifts to help create and support change in your community. But, she has also come to find out that Rachel is an educator as well as a mental health advocate, so there are so many topics covered in this conversation. 

Today’s conversation is an important one, especially if you’re a young woman and have ever been uncomfortable whether that’s in your gym, working out, your place of employment, or even walking down the street. But, it’s equally important for men to listen to this conversation and hear the perspectives of women. This week’s guest is Melo Russell! She has founded an organization called Unfazed and its focus is to empower women to use their voices! Her work is extremely important and we can't wait for you to learn more! 

This week's guest has actually been on before. Avery Kelley was a guest on Episode 049 with Miarri Phillips, talking about the importance of engaging in difficult conversations when we feel ill-equipped to navigate certain topics. Today, Sydney's having her on to talk about ALL THE INCREDIBLE things she is doing. At 14, Avery has her own Facebook talk show, is the co-director of a documentary, the founder of Love Carries On… and the list goes on. She is a change maker and epitomizes EVERYTHING Be The Change Youth Initiative is about.

This episode's guest is Gillian Johnson, the founder of Recovery Meet-Ups. Recovery Meet-Ups is a virtual, monthly meet-up initiative that connects high schoolers in recovery from disordered eating. First, Sydney has always wanted the WONDER podcast to be about elevating the voices of youth working to create change in their communities, and Gillian is doing just that. Second, Gillian and her friends are raising awareness about something that isn’t openly talked about, yet affects so many, and Recovery Meet-Ups also focuses on the importance of community, which you all know is near and dear to the BTCYI team. When people share their own life experiences, and stories, this helps others see they're not alone, but it’s also an important part of the healing process for themselves.

There’s been several shootings over the past week that have gained national attention. And with everything that’s happened, Sydney had a desire for this week's conversation to be about the topic of gun violence. 

Issues like these are never easy to talk about it, but what the Guerrette/Catlett family found from their travels around the country and from their work in Chattanooga, a lot of people want to have these conversations. But, because researching and talking about things we don’t understand can be scary for a lot of us, we just don’t know where to start. So, this is where Sydney wanted to begin. There are so many different avenues and opinions all under the same umbrella of gun violence. The first question for today is, when starting to have conversations around topics we’re not as familiar with, “where do we start?”

Well, Sydney firmly believes that we are better together. Community is important and if you’ve been listening to this podcast for sometime now, you know this is something talked about a lot. Sydney's invited other people into this conversation, youth who are just as passionate about making a difference in our world, Miarri Phillips and Avery Kelley. Sydney met both of them through Riley’s Way Foundation in Brooklyn, NY. (This organization focuses on empowering young leaders to use kindness and empathy to create meaningful connections and positive change. They also have a national initiative named Call for Kindness where they fund youth-led projects that inspire kindness, strengthen communities, and bring people together. Winners receive up to $3000 to fund their projects and join a cohort of fellows from across the country to participate in their Kind Leadership Series, learning from experts and each other. Sydney, Miarri, and Avery were all chosen for this year’s Call for Kindness!) 

Change begins when people start doing things differently and we NEED to do things differently. It starts with conversation and must end with action. You aren't alone. It's okay to take the first step in reaching out and educating yourself. 

Sydney met today’s guest through Instagram. These are quickly becoming the favorite connections… people just reaching out saying, “Hey, I love what you’re doing and would really like to get involved.” And then they say what gift or talent they can bring to the table, so to speak. This is Sydney's heart and the motivation for the work being done at Be The Change Youth Initiative (BTCYI). The BTCYI team wants people to see what they're doing in the community and want to be a part of it… especially if they’re bringing their own gifts to our community. Chelsea Weiss sent Sydney that message a few weeks ago and offered her expertise in weaving, expressing a desire to teach youth, not only the skill of weaving itself, but the value of using it to help with our mental health struggles.

Some of you might recognize today’s guest from a reality tv show called Teen Mom, but Mackenzie Edwards has spent the last few years using both her influence and her story to create change and transformation in her life and the lives of others. Sydney met her through her last guest, Arnold Alexis, who is the consummate connector, especially in Chattanooga. But, Mackenzie’s story reaches far past their little city in TN. Mackenzie and Sydney talk addiction, the importance of storytelling, social media, etc. Can't wait for you to listen to this conversation! 

If you, or someone you know, is struggling with addiction, here are some resources Mackenzie recommended:

https://www.samhsa.gov/

https://addictionresource.com/

https://novarecoverycenter.com/lp/outpatient-austin/?campaign=2050800226&content=359217173015&keyword=nova%20recovery&gclid=Cj0KCQjw3v6SBhCsARIsACyrRAkNOOxm1hn5PFeoiTSD17dVz0MlN_C8uVVSkVRk9CFKkTLRpFDgg0YaAl-pEALw_wcB

This week's guest is someone many people have told Sydney that she should know because they would be immediate friends. Arnold Alexis knows Chattanooga, especially the culture of Chatt, better than anyone and has a heart for giving back to the community. He’s also passionate about normalizing the conversation around mental health and uses his social media platform to do it. Arnold and Sydney talk anxiety, genuine community, and both the negative and positive affects of social media.